


the chase

by minachandler



Series: (girl)friends don't do that to one another [20]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/F, Implied/Referenced Suicide
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-17 17:29:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10598754
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minachandler/pseuds/minachandler
Summary: "My name is Dinah Laurel Lance. For five years I was stranded on an island with only one goal: survive. Now I will fulfil my mother’s dying wish: take up her mantle as the Green Arrow, and bring down those who are poisoning my city. But to do this, I must become someone else. I must become something else."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I had a great response to an [AU gifset I made](http://bisexuallaurellance.tumblr.com/post/159319017403/laurel-lance-week-day-6-favourite-au-version-of) for Laurel Lance Week, which features her on earth-7 as the Green Arrow. It inspired me to write a fic featuring earth-7!Dinah. Her story parallels Oliver's in a lot of ways, and that's wholly intentional. The suicide warning is just for the way Dinah Drake (i.e. Dinah's mother) dies, which is the same way Robert Queen dies on the show.

Dinah is running.

Granted, she's used to doing the chasing, rather than being chased by someone, but she doesn't mind - even if it's becoming increasingly difficult to shake off her tail. She's taken all the normal shortcuts, but her chaser seems to know all of them just as well as she does. 

Who is this Black Canary person, anyway? Five years ago when Dinah was in Starling City there was only the Green Arrow - Dinah's mother. She ensured order was kept on the city. There was no need for other vigilantes. But now there's the Black Canary, and since Dinah’s been back from Lian Yu this Canary has gotten in Dinah's way a few times now. It's getting frustrating. 

At last, Dinah decides to stop running, reaching behind into her quiver to fire an arrow over the Black Canary’s shoulder.

“You missed,” the woman says. She's wearing a knee-length black leather jacket and a mask, and she twirls the bo-staff she's holding, separating it into two pieces and holding them ready to fight.

“That was a warning,” Dinah says, and she keeps her bow at the ready, prepared to fire if necessary. “Try anything and you'll regret it.”

“I mean no harm, Dinah.”

_ She knows Dinah’s identity. _ Alarm bells start ringing immediately, and she quickly says, “Who are you?”

“Once you know, your life will never be the same,” the woman replies, and Dinah can hear it now, the faint trace of a British accent that sound oh so familiar even if she hasn't heard it in over five years - 

“Nyssa?” Dinah drops her bow in shock, arrow clattering to the ground. The woman doesn't say anything, just steps closer, until she's right in front of Dinah. She reaches up, and somehow Dinah doesn't flinch or move as the woman lowers Dinah's hood and takes off her mask. Then she removes her own, revealing Nyssa Raatko - ex-girlfriend of Dinah's sister, Sara.

“It is really you,” breathes Nyssa. “Dinah Laurel Lance.”

“What are you - but you're a - police officer!” Dinah says in disbelief.

“Detective, actually,” Nyssa corrects. “And you are an assistant district attorney.” She bends down, picking up Dinah’s bow and handing it back to her. Dinah takes it, still in shock. “Come. Let me buy you a black and white milkshake. We can catch up on the last five years.”

Dinah raises her eyebrows. “What's a black and white milkshake?”

~~~

Twenty minutes later, the two of them are dressed in normal clothes, in Rosie’s Diner on Sixth Street, sipping black and white milkshakes together.

“Mm,” Dinah says, “so good.”

“If I were to hazard a guess, I would say they didn't have milkshakes on the island you were stranded on.”

“You would be correct,” Dinah replies with a smile. “So tell me, Nyssa -”

“- why on earth am I parading around the city in a mask? I could ask the same thing of you.”

“That doesn't answer my question.”

Nyssa smiles grimly. “Your sister was devastated when she thought you died. When we all thought you had died.”

“I know she was.” Dinah just looks at her expectantly, and eventually Nyssa relents.

“Since Dinah Drake left Starling City, things have been… difficult, to say the least. Without the mayor, and without the Green Arrow -”

“Wait, you're saying you knew my mother was the Green Arrow?”

“Sara told me,” Nyssa says simply. “She thought there was little point to a secret identity when she was… gone. Anyway, without the Green Arrow, there was no order to the city. Starling descended into chaos. And I simply feel I can do more as the Black Canary than I could ever do as Detective Raatko.”

“Even if it means risking your life even more than normal?”

“I did not know you cared, Dinah,” Nyssa says, and there just a trace of bitterness there. 

“That's not true,” Dinah says instantly. “It's just… things are a bit awkward with us. You know. Because of Sara. That doesn't mean I don't care about you, Nyssa. Because I do.”

Nyssa seems moved by that, and she shifts in her seat for a moment. There's silence, and Dinah sips at her milkshake for want of something to do.

“I appreciate that,” Nyssa says at last. “And things needn't be awkward between the two of us. I made peace with what happened between Sara and I a long time ago.”

“She cheated on you,” Dinah says flatly. “That's not something you get over quickly.”

“I am at peace with what has happened,” Nyssa insists. “In answer to your question… I risk my life every day as a detective. It only seems right that I risk my life each night also as the Black Canary. Not to mention - I have had extensive training from my father, and my time in the army.”

“You mean compared to me?” Dinah says with a wry smile.

And to her surprise, Nyssa reaches out until her hand is covering Dinah's. “I will not even pretend to understand the horrors you must have faced on that island. But you are traumatised, are you not? Surely you should -”

“- see a shrink?” Dinah suggests dryly.

“I was going to say ‘take a moment to breathe’. You know. Before you jump into the dangerous world of vigilantism.”

But Dinah shakes her head. “You don't understand.”

“Then explain it to me,” says Nyssa gently, and somehow the sympathy that's written all over Nyssa's face is too much to bear for Dinah. She snatches her hand out of Nyssa's grasp, wraps it around her now half-empty glass.

“I - you know what I told everyone when they found me on the island? About my mom?”

“You said she drowned,” Nyssa says.

“I lied,” says Dinah. “I… the crew all drowned. But we both made it onto a life raft together. We drifted for what felt like days. I don’t know how long. Only there wasn't enough food and water for the both of us. So my mother - told me -” she has to bite back a sob, and there's a lump that's been forming in her throat for a while, now “- she told me she loved me. Always and forever, she said. But that I had to survive this on my own. And once I was back in Starling City I had to take up her mantle as the Green Arrow and protect our city in her name. I was pretty out of it, but then… then she threw herself headfirst into the ocean, and I had to watch my mother die knowing I could do nothing to stop it from happening.”

Tears prick in Dinah's eyes but she refuses to let them fall, instead blinking them away and tearing her gaze away from Nyssa. Nyssa looks like she's at a loss for words, and when finally Dinah can bring herself to meet her eyes once more she finds that Nyssa’s are shimmering too.

“I am so very sorry,” she breathes. “And I know how hollow that must sound to you, so I apologise, Dinah.”

“It's okay,” Dinah tells her, and she means it. “But that's why I'm here. That's why I came back. I made my mother a promise. And I intend on keeping it.”

“Tell me,” Nyssa says, leaning forward a little, “this promise of yours… did it include working alone?”

Once again Dinah looks away. “This is my crusade. And I work better alone.”

“Do you not think it prudent to have an ally or two?”

“I don't want to put you in harm's way,” says Dinah.

“I am already in harm's way,” Nyssa counters. “As are you. We could do so together.”

“Why do you want to team up with me?”

Nyssa sighs. “Because I am tired of chasing you, and I suspect you are tired of being chased. And no doubt you could do with a friend.”

“I have plenty of friends.” In Dinah's mind's eye she sees Joanna, Babs, Tommy, Oliver, Mia, Sin, Tatsu.

“And how many of those friends know about your nighttime activities?”

She has her there. “Fine,” Dinah says, conceding defeat. “You have a point. Okay. I'll work with you.”

Nyssa smiles. “Excellent.” She gets to her feet and Dinah does the same.

“One more question,” Dinah says.

“Of course.”

“How did you know it was me?”

“Well, you come back to Starling City and the next thing we know, there is a new vigilante calling herself the Green Arrow,” Nyssa says. “And given I knew the identity of your predecessor, it did not take long to work out that it must be a dear old friend under that hood.”

Dinah can't help but smile. “Right.”

“I've missed you, Dinah,” Nyssa says, and rather spontaneously Dinah steps forward and envelopes Nyssa in a warm hug. She takes Nyssa by surprise, it seems, but after a moment Nyssa hugs Dinah back. 

“I missed you too, Nyssa.”


	2. Chapter 2

The makeshift lair Dinah chose to train in is an old gym owned by Lance Consolidated. Dinah's pushed all the exercise bikes out of the way, clearing the space in the middle so there's a space for her to spar - with Nyssa.

“Don't forget to turn your hips, Dinah,” Nyssa says, panting as she wields her bo-staff, and she blocks Dinah's punch easily with her elbow. “It's where the power comes from.”

Dinah tries again and manages to get Nyssa in the shoulder this time. “Like that?” Dinah says breathlessly.

In a split second, though, her eskrima stick is knocked out of her hand and Nyssa flips Dinah over so Nyssa's sprawled on top of her. For a second Dinah can feel Nyssa’s warm breath flutter against her neck. 

“Yes,” Nyssa replies, and quickly, the spell is broken and she gets to her feet, offering Dinah her hand to help her up. “Do not ever hesitate, though, lest your opponent best you in battle in the heat of the moment.”

“Copy that,” says Dinah. “We gotta stop for now, though. I've got to be in court in an hour.”

“As do I,” Nyssa says, stifling a yawn with her hand.

Automatically Dinah yawns too, and she stretches, trying to shake out the ache in her arms.

“Are you all right?” asks Nyssa.

“Yeah,” Dinah says. “Just - tired. I can't remember the last time I had a good night's sleep.”

“Most likely it was over five years ago,” Nyssa guesses. 

“Where did you learn all this?” Dinah asks, quickly changing the subject.

“My father was a martial arts teacher,” Nyssa explains. “He was… formidable, to say the least. Ruthless. I would not be half the fighter I am today without him.”

“Well, you're one hell of a teacher yourself, Nyssa.” And she means it. They've only trained twice now and already Dinah finds she's learned a lot.

“Thank you.”

Dinah turns around, intending to head for the shower, but unexpectedly she feels a warm hand close around her wrist. 

“What's up?” 

“I - can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

When their eyes meet, though, Dinah can see the seriousness in Nyssa's and her shoulders sink, having a feeling she knows what's coming next.

“I read the medical report done when you first came back to Starling City. The doctor said that twenty per cent of your body is covered in scar tissue.”

Dinah becomes acutely aware of the fact that she's in a crop top, and the scars that decorate her abdomen and lower back are clearly visible. She ends up looking over Nyssa's shoulder. “Yeah. Something like that.”

But Nyssa is now right in front of her, looking more closely at her scars. 

“Who did this to you?”

“I said I was the only one on the island.”

“You lied,” Nyssa guesses.

“Yeah. The truth is… I was tortured by the people who were on the island with me.”

“That's how you got all these scars?” Nyssa says softly.

“Some of them,” Dinah says. “Others… it's a long story.”

To her surprise, Nyssa reaches out, touches the longest one that runs down her abdomen and disappears at about hip level. Her touch is feather-light, so Dinah can barely feel anything, but she still jerks back as though burned.

“How did you survive this?”

“There were times when I wanted to die,” Dinah says. “In the end… there was something I wanted more.”

And she's not imagining it, the sudden proximity between them; she can't be, because all of a sudden Nyssa's eyes are alight with this beautiful fire that makes Dinah's breath catch in her throat.

“And what was that?” Nyssa whispers.

“To see my family again. To… come home again.”

And in the end she's not sure who does what; all she knows is that seconds later they've closed what little gap there was between them and Dinah's lips are on Nyssa's, and she can taste sweat and something sweet on Nyssa's tongue as it darts into her mouth. But then, just as suddenly, Nyssa pulls away with a gasp, and her eyes widen with something looks like horror as they meet Dinah's while her hand goes to her mouth.

“Nyssa…” Dinah begins to say, but Nyssa's already turning on her heel, picking up her bag and leaving. “Nyssa, don't go -”

And to her surprise Nyssa actually turns back for a second, as if reconsidering, but as soon as she does she turns away again and walks out. Dinah wants to follow her, but something stops her, for some reason, and she stays where she is, letting her go. Her hand automatically goes up to her lips, and she closes her eyes, remembering their kiss just seconds before.

She doesn't know why it happened. It's not like Nyssa would ever see Dinah like that - not after dating Dinah's sister, surely. But for Dinah - it's not a stretch for her to get why it happened on her part. She's always liked Nyssa, and if she let herself she knows it's never been completely platonic. Not on her part.

But this is not meant to happen. Not ever. Sara's exes were strictly off limits, just like Dinah's were off limits to Sara. That's how it's always been with them. 

She checks her watch then swears under her breath; she's due in court in half an hour. Trying to put this behind her for the time being she rushes off, hoping things will get better later.

~~~

Night falls, and Dinah finds it hard to concentrate while on patrol. She's alone tonight, and somehow even though it's only been a week in which she's partnered up with Nyssa, she misses the presence of her by her side, more than Dinah thinks she would.

She looks out for Nyssa, but the Black Canary is nowhere to be seen that night, at least, as far as Dinah can tell. She gets shot that night, in the leg, and the Kevlar catches it but it still hurts. Dinah makes her way gingerly back to the lair, takes a look at her leg, but it seems to be okay, thank God. She's about to turn out the lights and leave, when the sound of familiar footsteps make her stop and turn around.

“What are you doing here?” asks Dinah. 

“Looking for you, actually,” says Nyssa. “I… thought we should talk.” 

“Okay.” Dinah sits on the nearest table then looks at Nyssa expectantly. Nyssa's wearing regular clothes, and without her bo-staff she has nothing to play with in her hands and it seems she doesn't know what to do with them.

“Dinah… I want to be your friend.”

“I want to be yours too,” Dinah says. 

“But I cannot…  _ we  _ cannot… nothing can ever happen between us.”

“Because of Sara?” Dinah says softly.

“Yes. It would be… sacrilege of the highest order. Even after everything she has done.”

“I get it.” Dinah gets up from the table, and Nyssa seems surprised, as if she was expecting more of an argument. 

“Really?” Nyssa breathes.

Dinah nods. “Really. I know it would… hurt Sara. Us being together. And truth be told, I think it's too soon for me to be with anyone.”

“Because of what happened to you on that island?”

“Something like that,” she says. “You… were shocked to see my scars. The truth is - I don't sleep. I barely eat. And I am just about holding myself together right now and you… you deserve better than that.”

“I am sure that's not true.”

“It is true. I'm damaged, Nyssa. Fucked up. And you're probably better off as far away from me as possible.”

“That is not true,” Nyssa repeats, and when Dinah tries to go past her Nyssa stands in her way.

“Get out of my way, Nyssa.”

“Not until I have an assurance from you that you will not be going through this alone.”

She halts in her tracks. “What's that supposed to mean?” Dinah demands. 

“It means… I want to continue working with you. If that is something you are comfortable with, of course,” Nyssa says.

“Why?”

“Like I said,” says Nyssa, and though she seems to hesitate for a moment, she then puts her hand on Dinah's shoulder, “you seem to be in need of a friend. One who knows about what you do at night.”

“I have Sara,” Dinah tries, but it's like Nyssa can tell just from the look on Dinah's face that she doesn't really count.

“I am assuming she is not too keen on you taking on your mother’s mantle.”

“She doesn't like it,” Dinah admits. “At all.”

“I guessed as much,” Nyssa tells her. “Look, Dinah, the truth is, perhaps you are damaged. But that does not mean you have to push away those who want to help. Those who care. And I care. Far more than you might think.” She holds out her hand. “Friends?”

And Dinah can't help but smile back, and after a moment she takes Nyssa's hand and shakes it. “Okay, fine. Friends.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? If you enjoyed reading this chapter please take the time to leave a comment. They are always responded to and always gratefully appreciated. Thank you so much for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Anita for talking me through this.

“Felicity Smoak?” 

The woman swivels round on her chair to face her, a red pen in her mouth, and she smiles at Dinah.

“The one, the only,” says Felicity.

“Hi,” says Dinah. “I'm -”

“Of course, I know who you are. You’re Dinah, right? That Dinah. Gorgeous Dinah....” But then she seems to catch the look on Dinah’s face, and she immediately sits up a bit straighter, clears her throat, says, “I mean, sorry, I meant to say - you’re MIss Lance, right. ADA Lance?”.

“Please, Miss Smoak,” she says, “you can call me Dinah.”

“Only if call me Felicity,” Felicity counters, and both women smile as Felicity pulls up a chair and gestures for her to sit down. “So, can I help you with something?”

“I could use some technical expertise - discreetly - and my sister said you were the best person to come to.”

“She did?” For a second Felicity looks mildly pleased with herself. 

“Yeah, she speaks highly of you.”

“I didn't think the CEO even knew my name.”

“Well, she does. And now I do too.”

“So what can I do for you, exactly?”

Dinah pulls the broken smartphone out of her pocket. “I, er, was training in the gym with my headphones in and I - dropped my phone.”

“Did you happen to drop it on a pointy object, by any chance?” Felicity gestures at the point of impact, where indeed a stray arrow had gone through it, and Dinah quickly shakes her head.

“No, I was - lifting weights.”

Felicity plugs in the phone to her computer. “Hmm, you always keep your phone this heavily encrypted?”

Dinah shrugs. “Only the paranoid survive.”

“Truer words never spoken.”

“So, can you crack it? Get any data off it?”

“I'll need a couple of hours,” Felicity replies.

“Great,” says Dinah, smiling.

“Can I have your number?” Dinah raises her eyebrows, again faintly amused, and Felicity hastily adds, “I mean, so I can contact you when I've cracked it. Obviously I wasn't trying to make a pass at you or anything, and I get that you're giving me your phone but if you have an alternate one I can reach you on, then -”

“Sure,” Dinah interrupts, and Felicity looks almost relieved that she can stop babbling. “Here, let me write it down for you. And, uh, Felicity?”

“Yeah?”

“I want you to deal with this quietly. Whatever you do, don't show anyone that phone.”

“Copy that. Or is it ‘Roger’?”

“I prefer ‘copy’,” Dinah says with a smile, getting to her feet. “Less gendered.”

She puts the lid back on the green pen she has in her hand, places it in her purse. Then she holds out her hand and Felicity takes it, looking surprised.

“Nice meeting you,” she calls to Dinah as she walks away.

Dinah looks back, smiles. “You too.”

It only takes Felicity an hour and a half to crack the encryption. Dinah gets a text on her phone, telling her to meet Felicity in the parking lot. Dinah heads down, but she's surprised when she sees Felicity, her arms folded, an unreadable expression on her face. 

“Glad you showed,” she says.

“So, uh…” Dinah says, apprehensive now at the look in her eyes, “did you manage to get any data off my phone?”

“I did,” Felicity says. When Dinah steps closer, though, Felicity involuntarily takes a step back.

“Felicity…”

“It wasn't your phone.”

“No, it wasn't,” she admits. “It belonged to a member of the Bratva. His name is Alexei Leonov.”

“The Russian mafia assassin who was taken down by the Green Arrow last night,” says Felicity. Dinah just nods, waiting to see if she would connect the dots. “So, what, you know the Green Arrow and you wanted to do her a favour?” 

“Kind of,” Dinah says. “Come on, Felicity, you're a smart woman. I'm sure you've figured it all out.”

“You're... “

“...the Green Arrow, yeah,” she says, nodding. She takes a step closer to Felicity and thinks it a good thing that Felicity stands her ground this time. 

Still she opens and closes her mouth several times before she can speak. “But you weren't always, were you?”

“No,” Dinah answers. “Before the island… my mom was. Dinah Drake.”

“Wow,” Felicity breathes. “Seems like trying to save the world runs in the family.”

Dinah laughs. “Something like that.”

“Why… why are you telling me this?”

“Because,” Dinah says, and her heels clack on the hard floor as she takes another step towards Felicity, “I need your help. And I want you to join me.”

~~~

Dinah takes Felicity for lunch. They go to Big Belly Burger and Dinah orders herself a paltry portion of fries with jalapeños while Felicity orders a double cheeseburger.

“You sure you don't want anything else with that?” Felicity asks. 

“I'm not much of an eater,” Dinah replies, and they finds seats in the quiet part of the diner and sit down. “Haven't been since I got back from the island, to be honest.”

‘I can imagine that island changed you in a lot of ways,” Felicity says. “But jalapeños are one thing. To go out every night in a hood shooting arrows at people… that’s another.”

“I couldn't find a good enough therapist,” Dinah says lightly, biting on a fry. “And for the record… those people were bad people.”

“No, don't get me wrong,” Felicity says, “I'm - a big fan. I mean, I love the way you beat up criminals.”

“That's not really why you're a fan, though,” Dinah says, sipping on her water as Mia comes with Felicity's burger.

“One Big Belly Buster, no mayo, no sauce and no salad,” she says, setting it down in front of her.

“Thanks, Mia,” says Dinah.

“You guys need anything else, just call me, okay?” Mia says with a smile. 

“You got it,” Dinah says.

“Thanks,” Felicity adds. Dinah upends the ketchup bottle, squirts out a whole load of it all over her fries. Felicity pulls a face. “Gross.”

“One thing I missed when I was on the island,” Dinah says, “is good old Big Belly Burger.”

“So, I'm surprised you know her,” Felicity comments.

“Who, Mia? We go way back,” Dinah says. “Before the island, she got… mixed up with the wrong crowd. Her parents died when she was still a teenager and her brother was all she had. So when she got done for possession I went easy on her, gave her community service instead of jail time, and I kind of ended up adopting her.” She glances over at Mia, who's busy serving customers now. “She's a good kid. Got a good head on her shoulders.”

“I'm sure she has,” says Felicity.

“Why are you surprised I know her?”

“I just figured… someone with your upbringing…”

“You mean a girl who went to private school, got into college because of who her parents were, daughter of the mayor of Starling City, trust fund brat…” 

“I didn't mean it like that,” Felicity says hastily, and she hides behind her burger, busying herself by taking a bite of it.

Dinah smiles, though. “It's okay. I get it. I would wonder too, if that were me. The truth is - Ollie Queen was my best friend growing up. He lived in the Glades. And when I went to his house, it was when I felt more like Dinah Lance, and less like Dinah Drake’s daughter. I don't have humble beginnings, it's true.”

“Is that why you're trying to make up for it? By playing Robin Hood?”

“I'm not Robin Hood,” Dinah says. “Far from it.”

“Your primary targets are the one per cent. White collar criminals.” Dinah raises her eyebrows, and Felicity shrugs through a mouthful of burger. “I did some digging.”

“But I also go after those who are poisoning my city,” Dinah says. “Our city. People like Alexei Leonov. He's in holding right now, and he's not saying a word about who hired him. I need to know. That's why I gave you his phone.”

“But why me?” Felicity asks. “What makes me so special? I'm just an IT girl.”

Dinah chuckles. “Sure you are, uh, Ghost Fox Goddess.”

“How did you -”

“I vaguely know my way around the Dark Net. Something I picked up on during my time away.”

“But how could you possibly learn anything even vaguely tech-related on a deserted island?”

“It wasn't deserted,” Dinah answers, “and I wasn't on the island the whole time.”

“Where were you?”

“A few places. That's not important right now. What  _ is  _ is the fact that I know what you do when you're not at work, Felicity. You're like me. You go outside the law to find justice. You do illegal things because sometimes the system just doesn't work.”

“Who said anything about it being illegal?”

“What would you call hacking into the Pentagon, then?”

Felicity's eyes widen with surprise behind her glasses. “A hobby? That I, uh, do not engage in?”

Dinah just laughs, though. “Look, Felicity. I know it's a lot to ask. But I'm asking. For this crusade of mine to mean anything, I need partners. I realises early on that I couldn't do it alone.”

“Which is why you've teamed up with the Black Canary,” Felicity says. “You make a pretty kickass duo, by the way.”

“I'm glad you think so. So… will you think about it?”

Felicity shakes her head. “I don't think I need to.”

“What?”

“I'm in,” she says with a grin. “I'll happily be part of your team.”

“You're serious?”

“Like I said… I'm a big fan. And just as long as I don't have to wear a mask or use a weapon… sure. I'm in. When do we start?”

“Right now,” says Dinah, “with the phone you've decrypted. I need you to give me all the data on it so we can see exactly who gave Leonov the kill order and see who his target is.”

“All right. Let’s get started.”

~~~

After Felicity’s finished work, they go back to the lair. Felicity upgrades Dinah’s system (“your system looks like it was made in the eighties, and I don’t mean the good part of the eighties, you know, like Madonna and legwarmers”) and her security (“anyone could walk in here, you know, and that includes supervillains”) before settling in front of Dinah’s workstation, already looking like she’s at home. Dinah smiles, lets Felicity load up the phone’s data.

The target, it turns out, is none other than -

“Nyssa Raatko,” Dinah says, closing her eyes. 

“You know her?” Felicity asks.

“You could say that. She’s - my partner.”

“You mean your partner or your  _ partner _ ?”

Dinah laughs lightly. “No, not like that. If only,” she says under her breath. When she looks down at Felicity, though, she wonders if she might have heard her. “I - she’s the Black Canary.”

“You what?” Felicity says, eyebrows lifting in surprise. “ _ Nyssa Raatko  _ is the Black Canary? But she’s -”

“- a detective, yeah,” says Dinah. “That was my initial reaction too. Apparently I’m not the only one who likes to take the law into her own hands in this city.”

“Wow. i… can’t say I disapprove.”

“Me neither,” Dinah admits. 

“What’s she like?” Felicity asks.

“Exactly as badass as you would imagine her to be. Moral. Strong.”

_ Beautiful _ , part of her wants to add.

“I had no idea you had such a high opinion of me.” Nyssa’s voice makes Dinah start, and Felicity whips around in her chair and actually gasps in shock.

“Do you always sneak up on people like that?” Felicity says. 

“Yes,” Nyssa replies, and she looks at Dinah, gesturing at the newcomer in question.

“Hey,” Dinah says, “okay, Nyssa, this is Felicity. Felicity, meet Nyssa Raatko.”

“Good to meet you, Detective,” Felicity says.

“Dinah?” says Nyssa. “May I speak with you for a moment, please?”

Dinah groans inwardly. “Sure.” She follows Nyssa until they are out of Felicity’s earshot before she speaks. “Look, I know what you’re going to say -”

“You do?”

“Yeah, like why I decided to reveal our secret identities to a civilian.”

“I was under the impression that she was a hacktivist,” Nyssa says, looking back at Felicity, who is typing away at the computer. 

“Wait, so you’re not mad?” Dinah says, surprised.

“I am not angry, no,” Nyssa says. “Not about that. Merely concerned that we will be involving her in some rather dangerous things.”

“We can protect her,” Dinah insists. “But for right now - we need to protect you. The guy I took down last night?”

“Alexei Leonov?”

Dinah nods, leading the way back to Felicity. “Yeah. He was sent here from Coast City to kill you.”

Pulling up a chair, Nyssa lets Dinah sit down first before pulling up another for herself. “Most likely this is retaliation for my testifying in the Bratva trial in a few days’ time.”

“You’re a key witness in that trial. If you’re off the board, then the whole case falls apart,” Felicity says.

“And who hired him?” asks Nyssa.

“Isabel Rochev,” says Felicity, tapping at the keyboard and pulling up a picture of a stern-looking Russian woman, “right at the top of the Bratva ladder.”

At this, Dinah pulls the pocketbook of names she has out of her jacket, opening it and flicking through until she finds the right page. “I knew it.”

“What’s that?” asks Felicity.

“I would like to know that too,” Nyssa adds.

“It’s a list of names that my mother left me,” Dinah explains, “Felicity, you wanted to know why I target white collar criminals? This is why. Because that way I’m continuing my mother’s legacy,  _ really _ continuing it.”

“And Isabel Rochev’s name is on there?” Felicity says.

“Yep,” Dinah replies. 

“What about if we set a trap for whoever the next assassin is?” Nyssa suggests. “They want me. So I will be there, waiting. There is a gala later tonight, a fundraiser held by Lance Consolidated for the police’s new anti-Bratva taskforce. A perfect opportunity for an assassin to get to me.”

“And don’t you think your secret identity might be outed if you end up taking down some badass assassin in public?” Felicity asks. 

“Yeah, and I’m not having you in danger without backup. Not on my watch,” Dinah adds. She’s lost too many people dear to her already.

“You can be there, then,” Nyssa says. “As the Green Arrow. And you,” she says to Felicity, “can be on overwatch. You can track the assassin, direct Dinah to where she needs to be.”

Felicity nods. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I’m in,” Dinah says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Comments make the world go around, and I always reply to them, so please, if you enjoyed, please think about leaving one! Thank you so much for reading!


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